Mechanical method of forming concrete via suspension

ABSTRACT

A method for suspension casting of a building slab involving, as a basic unit of a modular system, four vertical columns, beams horizontally extending therebetween and suspended therefrom a preselected height, the beams and portions of the column suspension structure serving to sandwich and clamp the slab form so that after curing, the beams, form, and clamps can be dropped for use on the next higher floor.

P. R. ROTH Aug; 7, 1973 MECHANICAL METHOD OF FORMING CONCRETE VIA SUSPENSION Filed Dec. 11, 1969 United States Patent Office 3,751,532 MECHANICAL METHOD OF FORMING CONCRETE VIA SUSPENSION Paul R. Roth, 550 Ocean Drive, Key Biscayne, Fla. 33149 Filed Dec. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 884,236 Int. Cl. E04b 1/16, 1/35, 5/17 US. Cl. 264-31 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method for suspension casting of a building slab involving, 'as a basic unit of a modular system, four vertical columns, beams horizontally extending therebetween and suspended therefrom at a preselected height, the beams and portions of the column suspension structure sewing to sandwich and clamp the slab form so that after curing, the beams, form, and clamps can be dropped for use on the next higher floor.

This invention relates to an improved mechanical method of forming concrete via suspension, modular or otherwise, which accomplishes a series of constructive processes that mechanizes a portion of modular construction and eliminates costly wood and metal shoring.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a mechanical instrument that will serve to perform several functions at the same time in containing wet concrete formed at a given height without shoring, to obtain a uniform thickness of concrete without manual placing of grade stakes that must be removed from the wet concrete mass where it usually leaves a void, the automatic placing of the pertinent vertical structural column in a perpendicular position and holding of same for concrete embedding, and to improve safety factors in the pouring of concrete with a systematic removal of forms by a mechanical process within one pattern.

For all intents and purposes, specifications for a given particular section FIG. 1 is given, but would be repeated for each adjacent section. FIG. 1 is a plan view of one modular section showing the vertical columns and beams, the form means being omitted for clarity. FIG. 2 is a detail of one column section of FIG. 1. A section is comprised of four evenly spaced supporting steel columns number 1 in an exact square. FIG. 3 is the assembled instrument view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2. Section forms are composed of three pre-constructed forms, frames 6 and plywood 16, and are irrelevant to the invention except that they serve as pans to hold the wet concrete when placed.

After the structural vertical steel columns 1 have been set in the respective footings, bolt 9 is placed in each end of lateral supporting steel beam 7 in hole 17. The beam 7 is lifted into place with bolt 9 in each end and put through hole 10 in the permanent supported steel plate 2. As bolt 9 is then placed through hole 10, the sleeve 11 is placed over the bolt 9 and then a steel washer 12 follows with nut 13 then being threaded approximately A inch on bolt 9. This is repeated with the three remaining plates 2 of each remaining column 1 of the section so that two lateral beams 7 are directly across from each other on the section to be formed. The three forms 6 (usually each 4' x 12') are then placed to rest on these two beams 7. The section (usually 12' x 12') is then ready for being secured into position. As the nut 13 on bolt 9 is threaded 3,751,532. Patented Aug. 7, 1973 and drawn up further, the form section falls into place securely. Sleeve 11 usually (11%" D) is a steel sleeve that will hold the bolt 9 from passing back through hole 10 in plate 2 and thus serves as a spacer to firmly secure the form pans 6 and supporting beams 7 against the steel plate 2. This is repeated with the remaining three bolts and columns, as well as all sections of a given floor, roof or slab. When all sections, within the given slab to be poured with concrete are firmly bolted into place, columns 1 will automatically come into a vertical perpendicular position. Narrow spacings between all adjacent sections are formed in with a narrow piece of plywood usually 7 inches in width. The additional beam 8 is added to give needed support through the center of the span and is secured to beam 7 through means of a plate and bolt connection. The platform has thus been formed and secured and is ready for placing of reinforcing steel and the concrete placement.

Sleeve 11 shall be a spacer of designated length de pending on the desired thickness of the concrete 3. For a 5 inch slab of concrete, the sleeve 11 would be four and one quarter inches in length and with the added thickness of plate 2 as three fourths of an inch, thus giving a thickness of five inches from the top of the sleeve 11 to the top of the plywood 16 with structural members 6.

U channel 4 is designed for a metal or wood screed 5 to be placed and rested at the top edge of bolt 9, and secured by eye bolt 14. Another U channel 4 is placed directly on opposite bolts 9 with open portions facing each other. With a perfectly straight metal or wood screed 5 inserted into the two receiving channels to cover the span of the section, and with or without an attached optional vibrator, the concrete can be accurately placed into position by a forward and backward movement of the handled screed 5 within the channels 4. This will produce a perfectly even distribution of the wet concrete and can be troweled to a semi-smooth finish with a troweling blade attached to the bottom of screed 5 and removed as the concrete is poured.

When the concrete has cured sufiiciently, beam 8 is re leased from beam 7, all concrete forms can be lowered by slightly releasing nut 13 at each column. In order that the forms 6 and supporting beams 7 do not drop completely, at the end of the eye bolt 14 inserted in the end of bolt 9, a chain 15 or cable is attached, sufficient in length and of size enabling it to pass through nut 13, washer 12 and the sleeve 11, which is now embedded in concrete, and extend in length so that the forms 6 and beams 7 may be dropped slowly and safely for disassembly on the floor or blocking set up. The rate of descent would be governed and controlled by a winch on the surface of the hardened concrete or by manual labor if desired. Sleeve 11 thus automatically becomes a channel for passage of utility items such as electrical wires, pipes, communication wires, etc., and is located within the wall cavity when the curtain walls are inserted.

What I claim as new is:

1. A suspension method for modular casting of a slab, the steps of:

erecting four upstanding columns to define a four-sided area;

suspending four beams, from permanently supported flat plates surrounding each of the columns at a preselected elevation to enclose the four-sided area, on bolts having sleeves of length sulficient to permit the bolts to project above the desired concrete to be poured;

disposing a form means between the four beams and pouring said concrete and moving a screed in said U- 10 channels to distribute said concrete over the form and curing said concrete; and unclamping the form means and removing the form means andbearns.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS V p 980,480 1/1911 Bishop '264-3 3 X Garlinghouse 249-18 Roos ..-t. 249-28 X Williams 249-28 X Harrill 249-19 Gostling 249-18 X Berry 264-33 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1939 Australia.

DONALD I ARNOLD, Primary Examiner W. E. HOAG, Assistant Examiner 'U.S. Cl. X.R. Y 

